Cheap eats.

Step Up To Plate At Ron Santo's

July 16, 1993|By Julie Deardorff.

Wrigley Field-like ivy is draped over a trellis inside Ron Santo's American Rotisserie, but rest assured, the atmosphere is the only thing that will remind diners of a ballpark's friendly confines. The food, thankfully, is much better.

Like most restaurants bearing a professional athlete's name, the Schaumburg eatery captures the sports memorabilia genre; the walls are covered with neon beer signs and black-and-white photographs of baseball players.

Appetizers lead off and can serve as starters or complete the meal, perhaps with a slightly tangy Caeser or house side salad ($2.95). The generous portion of onion rings ($3.25 half order) was greasy and very salty, but addicting.

Half-portion appetizers are available; appetizers cost up to $6.75 for full portions. Try the pizza rolls ($3.95), which have a hint of pepperoni flavor and can be dunked in a marinara sauce.

Heating up in the on-deck circle are half-pound char-broiled hamburgers and sandwiches, which are in the same price range as appetizers ($4.25-$5.95) and come with chips or french fries.

Heavy hitters include the wood-roasted chicken ($7.95 half chicken), which comes with all the necessary gut-busters such as soup or salad, vegetable, a choice of potato, and bland rolls that should be eaten while still warm.

The smoke-flavored baby back ribs ($9.95 half rack) are roasted over oak chips and come with extra barbecue sauce, which we found unneccesary. Those who can't make decisions and have a few extra dollars should try the combination platter of chicken and ribs, which hardly fits on the gigantic plate.

The menu is somewhat limited for vegetarians, who must choose between salads (a larger version of the Caesar and pastas are offered). Three desserts are featured-cheesecake, apple pie and carrot cake, and all cost $2.95. Apple pie is a must, because nothing is more American (except baseball).